


Girl Talk

by Flexor



Category: RWBY
Genre: Character Study, Minor spoilers for V4, Post-V3, Recovery, Reflection, Traumatic Experiences
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-26
Updated: 2016-11-26
Packaged: 2018-09-02 10:30:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8664283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flexor/pseuds/Flexor
Summary: Yang Xiao Long is still suffering from her traumatic experiences at the Battle of Beacon. She has a little heart to heart with visitors from far away, who can relate to Yang's experience.
If you're wondering who Bannog and Ariciel are, they are the main characters from my World of Warcraft fanfiction that can be found here, and on redridgechronicles.wordpress.com. They are here only because I needed some people to bounce Yang off, and because I kind of miss them.





	

Taiyang Xiao Long didn't often have visitors, especially not from so far abroad, but Signal Academy had needed someplace to stow these two irksome guests away from Signal's general populace, and Taiyang, kind fool that he was, had been persuaded to take them in and give them a bed for the next night or two. They seemed polite enough. A big, broad shouldered bald-headed human man, and a slender, tall, white-haired and long-eared woman with thin blue crescent shapes tattooed on her face, and a pale grey light in her eyes that made her look alien and magical. The man was called Bannog, lower nobility from a place called Redridge. The woman's name was Ariciel, and they hadn't minded at all being put in the same bedroom.

Taiyang normally liked having guests round the place, the strange stories they could tell. But these days, he liked to keep to himself. Themselves. His eldest daughter Yang Xiao Long was staying at home on sick leave. Physically, she had recovered, with only the loss of her right arm to deal with. Her mind, though, was a different matter. She wasn't even a shadow of her former self. Yang of old had effortlessly filled every room she found herself in, with her looks, her voice, her enthusiasm. These days, she hid. In her room, or inside herself. Most days, she looked as normal as any amputee girl could, pottering around the house, doing her chores, adjusting to living without her right arm. But her composure was so fragile. At the slightest disturbance, Yang would curl up in a small corner, frightened, helpless. Taiyang trusted Yang to recover eventually, but it had been months, and the lack of change was worrying him. 

 

They reached Taiyang's house, a wooden building, well kept, with a vegetable garden, apple trees in the distance. A friendly place, well suited to raising families. Taiyang pushed open the door and called inside.

"Yang? We've got visitors. Are you in?"

They walked into a living room to see a young woman get up from the sofa and walk towards them. She looked slender, with a large waterfall of blonde curly hair bound up in a ponytail. She was holding her left side towards them. Ariciel stepped forward, held out her left hand.

"Hello Yang. I'm Ariciel." she nodded her head. "This big lug is Bannog. Nice to meet you."

"Pleased to meet you," said Yang, shaking Ariciel's hand. Ariciel gave her a smile. Yang's lips twitched slightly in response. She sounded so _dull_.

"Miss Ariciel and Sir Bannog will be staying with us till their ship comes in," said Taiyang. "One, maybe two nights."

"Welcome, Miss Ariciel, Sir Bannog," said Yang.

" _Sir_ Bannog was my dad, Miss Long," said Bannog, in a deep voice that made the glasses ring in the cupboard. "Just 'Bannog' will do."

Yang frowned. Ariciel laughed.

"In his family, if there is no child named 'Bannog' in a generation, a great evil will follow. Like hair loss."

"There is a reason why I love you," said Bannog. "Can't put my finger on it right now, but there _is_ a reason."

"Can't explain in front of the Humans," said Ariciel. She looked at Yang. Not even a glimmer of a smile.

"Sit down, make yourself at home," said Taiyang. "Would anyone like some tea?"

"That would be lovely," said Ariciel. Only Bannog spotted the little wince. Being a Keldorei Elf, Ariciel was an expert on all kinds of tea, _not_ including the brown rust-water that you had to put milk into to forget that it was supposed to be tea.

"Yang?" Taiyang looked at his daughter. "Could you...?"

"Of course," said Yang, turned round and walked to the kitchen.

Bannog watched her intently as she walked away, a grim look on his face. They sat down, and Ariciel turned to Taiyang.

"What happened to her?"

Taiyang looked at his feet, took a breath.

"She lost a fight," said Bannog. "One she could never have won."

Taiyang nodded. "That's when she lost her arm. Also, there were... other losses. Friends. I'm so glad that she is alive, but..." he shook his head. "I try to make her do as much as she can. If I don't, she just switches off."

"It must be hard for her," said Ariciel. "She's learning about her body. How to live with only one hand."

"She doesn't need to," said Taiyang. "She has a state-of-the-art prosthetic arm, sitting on her nightstand, ready for her to put on. She doesn't want it. I can only guess why not."

They fell silent as Yang returned carrying a tea tray. Ariciel saw that she had the teapot on the far end of the tray, suggesting that she had more strength in her left hand than most humans. She put down the tray, put mugs in front of everyone, poured tea. She pointed.

"Milk. Sugar, if anyone wants." She looked at Taiyang. "Dad, may I..."

"Of course, darling," said Taiyang.

Yang gave a little nod, turned round to leave. 

 

Bannog clapped his hands, loud, once. The effect on Yang was dramatic. She whirled round, fist raised, eyes large and frightened. Her breath came in quick gasps, and she was shaking. Ariciel slowly turned her eyes to Bannog and glared daggers at him. She got to her feet, stood in front of Yang, hands on her shoulders.

"Hey. When's the last time you had some proper girl talk? Come on. Show me your room. We can do girl things together."

Yang opened her mouth, closed it, nodded. She was in no shape to say no to anything just that moment. With one more glowing look over her shoulder, Ariciel gently nudged Yang upstairs. 

 

Bannog turned to Taiyang. "There's your answer, Mr. Long. Your daughter is _scared_. How long ago was this?"

"About six months ago." Taiyang gave Bannog a less than friendly look. "I'm trying to be as gentle with her as I can."

"But it isn't working, is it?"

"She _is_ better than she was just after it happened. Still..." Taiyang shook his head.

"That fake arm you got for her. How good is it?"

"The best. Yang made some powerful friends in the Atlas military. It's a weapon in and of itself. She'll be able to punch through walls with it. She'll no longer be as helpless as she is now."

"And when she puts it on, maybe with a little practice, she'll be out there again in no time. If she wants to be."

"Yes." Taiyang looked into Bannog's eyes. "What do you mean? Do you mean she doesn't _want_ to be out there again? That she's keeping herself sick so she won't have to? My daughter is not a coward, Sir Bannog."

"Don't need to be a coward to be scared, Mr. Long. We're warriors, and so is she. You and I both know there's things out there you'd be mad not to be scared of. We've both pissed ourselves in battles. We just don't like to talk about it."

"Do you have horses down your way, Sir Bannog?"

"Yeah. One of our farms breeds them. Best horses in the land."

"When you fall off a horse, what's the best thing to do?"

"Get right back on it, Mr. Long. Cause if you don't, you'll never ride again."

Taiyang looked out of the window. "Yang needs to get back on the horse. The sooner, the better. It's already been longer than I like. She needs to put that arm on and get training again. But she won't, and I can't very well put it on _for_ her."

"If you're just going to fall off again, then getting back on the horse is kinda stupid. May want to try a smaller horse first."

Taiyang sighed. "I suppose. Well, Sir Bannog, since you've scared off my daughter, I suppose I'd better start cooking dinner."

"I haven't made full war-strength Westfall stew in years," said Bannog. "Do you have pigs here?"

"Got pork chops in the cold box."

"Perfect. Don't suppose you've got fleshrippers?"

"What are those?"

Bannog and Taiyang got up and walked to the kitchen. "Big carrion birds. Horrible to eat by themselves, but blast them with enough spices and they're fine. We can use chicken. You guys can handle spicy food, right?"

"I'm named after a fire breathing dragon, Sir Bannog. So is my daughter." 

* * *

 

"So," said Ariciel. "What do hot girls like us do together here in Remnant?"

Yang's breath had returned to normal, and her eyes had returned to their dull lustre.

"That you wouldn't mind explaining to your father," added Ariciel. "I mean, I _am_ a breast girl, but I only just met you."

That finally got a little wry laugh out of Yang. "Try on clothes. Talk about cute boys. Paint each other's nails." She held up her hand. "We'll be done in no time."

"Hmm." Ariciel looked at Yang for a few moments. "Do you have a hairbrush?"

"Yeah." Yang pulled open a drawer and handed one over.

"Sit down," said Ariciel. She pulled the elastic band from Yang's hair and started to brush it. "Sorry about the tangles. You'll go bald if I'm not careful."

"Time was when I would have killed for that," said Yang. "Nobody messes with the hair."

"Don't worry Sister, I've got you." Ariciel grabbed a bunch of Yang's hair at the top and pulled the brush through in careful little tugs. "So. Want to tell me?"

Yang shook her head quietly. Ariciel grabbed a fresh bunch of hair.

"I met Bannog in a place called Goldshire. Behind an inn called the Lion's Pride. Sounds pretty sleazy, doesn't it? Well, it was. He came round to take a leak, and found me and three bandits. Two of them wanted to, um, use me. The third wanted to cut my ears off and sell them to the Horde."

"And he saved you? _Ow_."

"Sorry." Ariciel laughed. "You should have seen him. Puffed up to twice his size, all war-like and heroic. 'Bannog of Caer Bannog disapproves of your plans! Begone riff-raff!' Didn't work as well as he'd wanted. But we won."

"And you've been together ever since?"

Despite everything, Yang still loved stories. The worst of the tangles were gone, and Ariciel started with the long brush strokes.

"Not really. He had to go into the army, and I had to go train with Mathrengyl Bearwalker. But he offered to take me all the way to a port town called Menethil. Very nice of him."

"What, he didn't even expect you to be..." Yang wiggled her fingers in a one-handed air-quote. " _Grateful_?"

"Well, the thought must have been in the back of his head. But he was straight from home. All filled up with high ideals. Protecting the weak. Defending the defenceless." Ariciel kept brushing for a while, wrapped in sad and happy memories. "That lasted till we got to Ironforge the next day. Ye gods, your hair is even longer than it looks."

"I know. It sort of curls itself up. What happened in... Ironforge?"

"I dragged him off somewhere private and had my wicked way with him. Do you want one or two plaits?"

"That's... um, quick."

"Well, your hair is as straight as it's going to be."

"No, I meant... Never mind. Two, please."

Ariciel chuckled, and started to divide Yang's hair in the middle. She parked one half over her shoulder, and divided the left side up into five separate strands. With nimble, practiced fingers, she started braiding Yang's hair.

"I used to do this for my mother, back when I was sweeping floors in Ameth'Aran. She had gorgeous grey hair."

"Had?" Yang looked over her shoulder with one eye.

"I lost her," said Ariciel.

"Oh. I'm sorry. Do you have any other family?"

"Not anymore," said Ariciel. "I used to have a girlfriend. A boyfriend. A sister. They were killed in the war."

Yang turned her head round. Ariciel moved her hands so she wouldn't drop Yang's plait.

"Please. Forget I asked if you don't..."

"Don't worry. Years have passed. Time heals all wounds and so on and so forth." Ariciel continued plaiting Yang's hair. "I'm all right now. I have my big Human. I have friends back in Kalimdor and Redridge. You'll be fine too. I promise. Got a ribbon or something?"

Yang reached out and handed over a black ribbon, which Ariciel tied round the end of her plait. She picked up the other half of Yang's hair.

"I've been lucky I guess," said Yang. Only one of my close friends actually died. All the others just... left. Penny was more Ruby's friend than mine."

"Ruby? Is she the dark haired girl in the picture with you and your dad?"

"Yes. My little sister. Half-sister. She went away to Mistral with Team JNPR. Except for Pyrrha, she's the one who died."

Ariciel continued plaiting Yang's hair.

"Pyrrha was brave," said Yang. "Fought an enemy much stronger than herself, and looked death straight in the eye. I wish I'd died like her."

Ariciel couldn't see Yang's expression from behind, but her shoulders looked tight. Her voice sounded strangled.

"Me, I just charged, he chopped my arm off, and then I passed out and Blake had to carry me to safety. With a stab wound to her stomach. Ironwood said I fought _admirably_. He clearly wasn't there." Yang bent her head down. "Not a blind bit of use. And now, I'll never be."

"Hey." Ariciel put her hand on Yang's cheek. "I nearly got Bannog killed on the way. But he's downstairs, I'm here. We still draw breath. _You_ still draw breath. Every breath you take is one that your enemies didn't want you to take. Every beat of your heart is a victory."

"I still fall apart at loud noises. I've still got these nightmares."

"So do I," said Ariciel. "Not as often as I did, but maybe once every few months, I see Berciel die again. My sister. And then I wake up, and I think of things that I could have done. But there's nothing I could have done differently that would have saved her. She made the only choice she had. To join the Horde as a bloodmage. She couldn't just have let us leave." Ariciel hesitated, her voice shook. "She was tearing Bannog to shreds. Faster than I could heal him. So I shot her. Bannog finished her. Cut her in half. He tried to stand between me and Berciel, but I'd already seen."

Yang looked up at Ariciel with large violet eyes.

"I'm sorry," said Ariciel. "Shouldn't have dropped that on you. You've got your own troubles."

"It's okay. What happened then?"

"After that, I didn't really care anymore. I just wanted to kill as many Horde as I could, and then die. I nearly got my wish, too, but my friends pulled me out. I think we're both in the wrong business to have easy nights."

Ariciel tied off Yang's other plait and flipped the thick strands of hair over her shoulders.

"You look awfully young to be fighting wars."

"Ruby's two years younger than I am, and _she's_ out there." Yang glanced at Ariciel, then looked away out of the window. The promise of spring was in the air, but the trees were still leafless. "I'm _scared_. I never was scared, but now, I'm _afraid_ to go out there. Ten times every day since Winter, I'm back in that damned hallway watching Blake get stabbed, and every time I try to help her, I get..." Yang made a choking noise, pointed her hand at the stump of her right arm. "And I can't stop it. What if I run into him again?"

Ariciel sat down on the bed next to her, put her arm round her shoulders. "You run like hell. Bannog always says that graveyards and battlefields are full of brave, honourable people." Ariciel sighed. Pulled Yang closer. "Look, I've been in the same sort of place where you are. I've been caught. I've been... broken. It does pass. But not if you just _wait_ for it to pass. Nobody can help you. Not even your father. There's only one person who can dig you out of this hole."

Yang sighed, leaned into this strange, strange woman. Her voice was quiet. "How did you get out?"

"Anger. Pure bile. I was on my way to the Caer with a friend of mine, and Orcs jumped us. Grabbed her. Told me they'd kill her." Ariciel sighed. "I just lost it completely. I was still using Green Fire then, Wrath I should say. Burnt them all to a crisp. Ye gods, I still remember the look on Lirael's face. On the whole, I wouldn't really recommend it, but it worked. Caerbannog was under siege. I had a whole batallion of Orcs to vent my anger on. Lucky me."

Yang fell silent. They sat like that for a while, leaning into each other, until Taiyang's voice came from below, announcing dinner.

"Hey." Ariciel nudged Yang. "Like your plaits?"

Yang lifted one up, looked at the pattern. "Yeah. Thanks."

"Hungry?"

Yang looked up, and almost smiled. "Yeah." 

* * *

 

They came walking downstairs. Taiyang and Bannog were at the table. Taiyang pulled a chair back for Yang, and she sat down. He pushed the chair back for her.

"I like your hair," he said.

"Ariciel did it," said Yang.

"You're lucky," said Bannog. "She's never done that for me."

Ariciel put her arm round Bannog, kissed the top of his head as she sat down.

"You're still sleeping on the floor for being nasty to Yang."

"It's okay," said Yang.

"Oh shush, you. I'm hoping to get favours for allowing him back in."

Bannog laughed. "Too subtle for us coarse Humans, are the ways of the Night-elves."

"You bet," said Ariciel. She sniffed. "Oh stars and stones, you've made curried fire elemental. What is it about boys that they need to blow their heads off?"

"It's how we measure our manliness," said Taiyang. "And it makes one appreciate beer, which is a good and noble thing."

Bannog's cooking came out of the army. The stew was unsubtle, with big chunks, and more chillies than any sane person needs. Taiyang made a point of touching his beer only after the first bowl. Yang mechanically spooned up her food, and made no comment. Bannog glanced at Ariciel, who gave a tiny shrug. Throughout the meal, Taiyang tried to get Yang to talk, and she replied, politely, but only in one or two words. When the dishes were done, Yang excused herself and went upstairs. They stayed and chatted with Taiyang for a while, avoiding the subject of shell-shocked daughters, then went up to bed. 

* * *

 

Bannog had been forced, _forced_ I tell you, to look at his girlfriend's nearly naked body as she lay on the bed, and she had mercilessly made him massage all bits of her that needed it: feet, legs, back, shoulders... A terrible fate, but Bannog had born it manfully, and Ariciel had graciously allowed him to get in with her to warm her. He could feel her looking into the dark.

"Poor girl."

"Taiyang is too soft on her," said Bannog. "He told me some of the things she's done. She's not a wilting flower, she's a fire-breathing dragon. He's allowing her to forget it."

"She's his daughter. What would you do if it was Selena?"

"I'd give my little sister a big hug, then hand her over to Sir Roland and tell her to get on with it. But I'm a heartless bastard."

"Big brothers. Scum of the world."

"Complete bastards get things done. All she needs to do to get back in the game is pick up a sword, or even a gun. Put on that damn arm Taiyang moved mountains to get for her. He told her it practically came for free. He lied."

"Arm's not the problem. It's the soul. Unless something happens to shake her out of this, she'll never wear it. She told me wanted to die like her friend."

"Sod that," said Bannog. " _Dulce et decorum est pro patria_ killing the _other_ bugger. She's too damn young to be that dispirited. I want to see that dragon."

"You want to take her out for a run tomorrow? We do need some trail rations. And some biscuits or weird candy for Selena."

"And only she knows where the shops are." Bannog pulled his Elf a bit closer. "Sounds like fun." 

* * *

 

Taiyang always ran to school, a comfortable one-hour morning exercise. This left Yang alone with Ariciel, who had woken up before everybody else to do her staff exercises in the garden, and Bannog, who slept in till seven thirty. Yang fried bacon and sausages, scrambled eggs, while Ariciel set the table. Bannog came down a few moments later, and they had breakfast together. Ariciel shooed Bannog out of the house, go chop firewood or something, and gathered up the plates and bowls and knives and forks at speed. To wash up, Yang stuck a brush to the bottom of the sink. Ariciel grabbed a towel to dry.

"Do metal hands rust?"

Yang gave Ariciel a look, continued brushing. She held out a plate, and let go of it, clearly before Ariciel had got hold of it. Ariciel, blessed with Night-elf reflexes, caught it.

"My _dad_ gets to push me," said Yang.

"All right," said Ariciel, drying the plate. "Sorry."

"I'm going to be okay with just my left hand," said Yang, picking up another plate. "It'll take a while, is all."

"Mm-hmm."

Ariciel put the plate on the nice hardwood worktop, grabbed a handfull of forks and knives and started to dry them. Saying nothing. Yang brushed out a glass, looked at it, brushed it some more. She held it up to the light, handed it to Ariciel.

"People think that this is all that needs fixing," said Yang, holding up her short arm.

"I imagine they do. It's what they can see."

Ariciel dried the last of the bowls. Yang pulled out the plug, pulled the brush out of the sink with a pop. They put away the crockery, and looked out of the window. In the garden, Bannog had actually found a stack of logs and an axe, but had lost his shirt. Ariciel leaned on the worktop, a little gleam in her eye.

"It's all right," she said. "You can look."

"I _am_ looking," said Yang.

"He's showing off."

"Shameful."

" _Men_."

"Yeah." 

 

For the occasion, Bannog dressed up in full dark plate armor, Ariciel in her rigid leather outfit. Yang had looked at the left half of her Ember Celica, and decided against it. She'd also decided against her right arm. If they skirted round the woods, staying on the roads, there was little chance of getting into trouble.

As Yang was getting ready, turning off lights in the house, Ariciel drew close to Bannog.

"She doesn't want to be pushed," she said.

"Noted," said Bannog. He rolled his shoulders.

"So what _will_ we do with her all the way over?"

Bannog looked at Yang, who was locking the door.

"Push her."

" _Your_ funeral."

They set off. Winter was drawing to an end. There was still snow, but it was melting, wet and cold. It felt like Nature was taking a deep breath before bursting into an explosion of green and life. Nobody talked much. At a crossroads, Ariciel stopped a moment, leaning on her staff, breathing in the cold air.

"Yang?"

"Mm?"

Ariciel pointed. "The town is that way, isn't it?"

"Yes, but it's better to stay on the road. Grimm tend to stay between the trees."

"Can we go through the woods for just a little bit? I'd like to talk to the trees."

"Uh," said Yang, short for 'Didn't I just tell you what a bad idea that is?'

"Please?" Ariciel's eyes shone. "All the time I've been here, I haven't had the time to really feel the spirit of the forests. Would you introduce me?"

Bannog chuckled. "Just let her. Night-elves get sulky if they don't hug a tree for a few days."

Ariciel reached out with her staff and rapped Bannog on the back of his helm without taking her eyes off Yang. _Please?_

"I guess," said Yang, keeping the limitless supplies of bubbly enthusiasm out of her voice somehow. She looked up at the sun, getting her bearings. "This way."

They stepped in between the trees. The underbrush was nothing but sticks and twigs, away from the large trees, who claimed all the water in the soil for themselves. There were little streams, frozen over, but with the ice almost ready to break. Yang looked round nervously.

"Hey."

Yang turned her eyes to Ariciel.

"Come hug a tree with a Night-elf. Give me your hand." Ariciel took Yang's hand and placed it on the rough trunk of a large oak. "Close your eyes."

Yang reluctantly did. Ariciel's hand on the back of her own was warm. A green warmth somehow deeper than what it should be. The thought came to her of roots, thick at first, branching into smaller and smaller tendrils until they were no thicker than a hair. There was a sense of anticipation. Another month or so, and a month was _nothing_ to a creature that could grow for a thousand years. Yang opened her eyes to see Ariciel smiling at her.

"Does wonders for your sense of perspective, doesn't it? That tree was here before your great-grandparents were born. Compared to that... who are we?"

Ariciel took Yang's hand and they walked on, with Bannog walking behind, watching them. Ariciel always seemed to bloom up in a forest, even a cold, wet, dismal one such as this. She pointed out burrows of hibernating animals, old birds' nests, fox holes, until she stopped mid-sentence. She looked straight at a group of shadows, a few hundred yards ahead between the trees.

"What. Is. _That_?!"

Yang looked at her, and only now noticed Ariciel had long sharp canine teeth. She followed Ariciel's gaze, and held her breath.

"Oh _crap_. Grimm. Creatures of Grimm. Ursai. Three, no four of them."

"Aren't there any Druids in this place? If there are, they're sleeping on the job. Who lets corrupted bear spirits walk all over the place?"

Yang's hand tightened on Ariciel's, then she let go, wiped her forehead.

"If we stand really quietly, and control our fear, then they'll pass us by."

Ariciel growled. "And what happens if you do _this_?" She took a step back like a ball player. Her hand shot forward, and a bright flash of greenish yellow light shot out towards the dark shapes, hitting the largest one square in the chest.

Yang stared at Ariciel in horror.

"Are you _mad_?!"

"Furious," said Ariciel, raised her staff, and sprinted forward. 

* * *

 

"Oh dear," said Bannog.

He ran after his Night-elven love, with Yang close behind. They were just in time to watch Ariciel point at one of the bear-like creatures. The frozen ground cracked as green thorny roots reached out and caught the largest of the Ursai, pinning it down. It roared, thrashed about, the thorns cutting into its unreal flesh, but couldn't break free. The largest of the others leapt at Ariciel, but she pushed it aside with her staff. She caught it with a fierce blow to the snout. It howled, and swiped out with a paw, but Ariciel leapt backwards and stabbed out with her staff.

Yang stood completely still for a few moments, hissing words under her breath that would surprise her father. She looked at the stump of her right arm, raised her left fist, knuckles white. She looked back at Bannog, who was standing still doing nothing.

Yang _screamed_.

In a sudden explosion of anger, her plaits unraveled themselves, her eyes turned red, and she leapt forward, only to be pulled back by her short arm. With burning eyes, she whirled round. Bannog was holding on to her arm.

"What are you thinking of doing?" he said.

" _Help_ her! Let go of me!"

Bannog did no such thing. "Be specific. What are you going to do?"

"She's fighting four Ursai! What the hell..."

"Then _stop wasting time!_ " Bannog growled. "Which of those beasts were you thinking of attacking?"

Yang stared. That stupid man was really not going to let go before he had an answer! She tried to pull herself free. It didn't work. Trembling with fear and rage, she pointed.

"The big one!"

"Are you _trying_ to piss her off? She just rooted that one. If you hit that, it'll break free. Try again."

"I..."

Bannog grabbed Yang's shoulders, roughly turned her round facing the fight.

"For the first time in your Light-bereft life, _look_! Look at her! What is she doing?"

"She's... fighting. One of the Ursai."

"Why is she fighting the one she is? Quick!"

"It's the biggest one!"

"Yes! The hardest hitter. Now tell me. Which one should _you_ be attacking?"

"The... the..." Yang swallowed. "I don't _know!_ "

"She's hitting the strongest one, forcing it to look at her. Look at how she's moving. She is keeping her main target between herself and the rest of them so they can't hit her. She also knows where _we_ are, and she's keeping its back to us. Now which one would you attack? Quick! Those roots won't last forever."

"I... I..." Yang looked back at Bannog. "Which one would _you_ attack?"

"The one that keeps trying to sneak up behind her," said Bannog. "But never you mind. I know things about Ariciel that you don't. Which?"

"The... The same one _she_ is attacking?"

"Yes! She's keeping its back to us so we can hit it hard, and it's the one most likely to hurt her. The other ones are also looking at her, but they would turn to us if we attacked them. If we each pick a target, then we will be hit by three of them at the same time. You focus on the biggest threat and kill it, and the danger grows less. Then, you go to the next biggest, then the last, and _then_ you get the big one that's rooted three to one."

" _Now_ can we go and help her?"

"Naah." Bannog let go and shouted. "Ariciel? We're done"

"About bloody time," said Ariciel. There was a crack and with a final great thrash, the biggest Ursa broke free of its bonds.

"Look out!" shouted Yang.

Ariciel shot away to one side. The Ursa Major stepped forward, and roared at Ariciel.

"Oh you're gonna wish you hadn't done that, Teddy," said Bannog.

Ariciel raised her staff above her head, and yelled. There was a green flash of light and swirling smoke, and where Ariciel was before, there now was a monstrous bear, larger even than the largest of the Ursai. It roared, then sprang forward. With mighty swipes of its paws, it sent the smaller of the Ursai flying into the trees, broken. Then, it gathered itself up and sprang at the Ursa Major, throwing it onto its back. Bear-Ariciel's claw came round and ripped great gashes through the Ursa Major's belly. It shivered, then lay still, black smoke rising from it. Bear-Ariciel watched it for a moment, then cantered back to Bannog and Yang. She plopped down on her large bear-butt and waved at Yang, who just stared at her with her mouth open. 

 

"Go on," said Bannog. "Stroke her head. She likes that."

Yang slowly reached out to Ariciel's head. Ariciel snapped at her fingers and Yang pulled them back quickly. Ariciel grinned as she raised herself to her hind legs. Her body started to glow and a moment later, the bear had disappeared and the Night-elf was back. It made no difference to the grin.

"You need more Druids here," said Ariciel.

Yang blinked. "Are you... okay?"

"Yeah, fine. Did Bannog explain to you what I was doing?"

Yang's voice was suddenly tight and even. "Did you want to go into the woods specially so you could..." She sneered. "Teach me a _lesson_? You _jerks_!"

"I was going to talk with you," said Bannog. "But no. These beasts were just an opportunity."

"I really do love this forest," said Ariciel. She looked over her shoulder. "And I really do hate these... these..."

"Ursai," said Yang.

"Ursai. Bear spirits are important to me, and this is an abomination. Even if you were the happiest girl in the world, I'd have killed these things. Let them pass by? I don't think so. And neither did you, up to..." Ariciel gave a meaningful look at Yang's right side.

"What makes you think you can just come in and lecture me?"

"You need it," said Bannog. "If you get into your next fight the way you wanted to get into this one, the next thing you'll get chopped off is your head. You're bloody strong. You're brave enough to think of others before yourself. You have the makings of a fine Fury warrior. But your tactical insight blows Imps."

"Well, thank _you_!" Yang looked at these strange people. "What next? Wiping my butt?"

Ariciel put her hands on Yang's shoulders. "I _know_ why you're afraid to get out there. To put that arm on and start training with your father again. You attacked that man with your best shot, and even so, he just swatted you like a fly. But you were _not_ at your best game. Not then, not now. You're only a shimmer of who you can be, arm or no arm. Who you _will_ be. We're leaving soon, so I'll never see it for myself, but I know you will be formidable. All you need to do is learn."

"Learn what?"

" _Not Telling Mister Brain To Go Away In A Fight_ would be nice," said Bannog. "More people are dead because they didn't _think_ hard enough than because they didn't _hit_ hard enough. That's what cost you your arm."

"Really? What would _you_ have done in my place? My friend lying on the ground bleeding. Adam Taurus getting ready to kill her."

"Well, if I'd been outclassed like you..." Yang scowled, but let it pass. "Then I would have told him I bonked his mummy and run like hell. Give your friend the time to get up and get out of there. Drawn him on like a kite on a string to where my friends were, and then ganged up on him and murdered him from all sides at the same time."

"What, stab him in the back? Why am I not surp-"

"Yes! He needs to _die_. By the Light, what are you fighting for? _Glory_? If he'd drop his bloody sword, would you allow him to pick it up? Would you fight _fair_?"

Yang opened her mouth, closed it again. She glared at Bannog, Bannog glared back. Yang pointed with her right arm.

"Shops are that way. Let's go."

Yang stomped off. Ariciel looked at her a few moments, then looked at Bannog's expression. She stroked his cheek.

"My love? Next batch of Ursas, it's your turn to tank."

"Good," said Bannog, and followed Yang. 

* * *

 

"You _What_?!"

Bannog and Ariciel, packs bulging with food and other essential supplies, had just delivered one blonde, slightly sulking but none the worse for wear, back to her father at Signal Academy. They had mentioned in passing that they had run into some disappointingly feeble but very educational Creatures of Grimm.

"Do I understand correctly that you ignored my daughter's advice to stay on the road, and got her into a _fight_? Without her weapons? Without..."

Ariciel raised a finger. "Actually, only I got into a fight. Yang was a little way away, having a nice chat with my boyfriend."

Taiyang stared. "You? I could lift you with one hand. You were fighting four Ursai at once?"

"Um," said Yang, "She kinda turned into a bear."

Ariciel gave Taiyang a bright smile. "I kinda turned into a bear."

"And what would have happened to Yang if you'd lost that fight?"

Ariciel snorted. "Stars and stones, I could see the top of their _heads_. I've won against foes when I could only see the top of their _knees_. Also, there's Big Lug here. He's got a big sword." Her eyes softened as she looked into Taiyang's eyes. "I'm a Guardian Druid of the Cenarion Circle. He's a Master-at-arms from Caer Bannog in Redridge. Yang was perfectly safe with us."

"You and I obviously have a different understanding of the words 'Perfectly safe', Miss Ariciel."

"Mr. Long," said Bannog, "If your idea of 'Perfectly safe' is to have her hiding in her bedroom, jumping whenever a mouse farts near her, then yes, we do."

"Last time I looked, _Sir_ Bannog, Yang was still my daughter. Not yours." Taiyang looked at Bannog trough narrowing eyes. "I think your ship leaves in six hours. If you're quick enough, you won't miss it."

Bannog gave a little nod. "Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Long."

He started to turn and walk away, but Ariciel turned to Yang and gave her a hug. Yang patted Ariciel's back in an okay-then-no-hard-feelings kind of way. She looked into Ariciel's glowing eyes, smiled a little.

"Keep well Yang," said Ariciel. "I'm sure you're going to be..."

"Fine?" Yang gave a little laugh.

" _Scary_. Give them hell, Sun Dragon."

Yang nodded, hugged Ariciel again. Taiyang stood by with an impatient sneer on his face. Bannog and Ariciel waved, turned, and walked off. 

* * *

 

They stood by an impossibly large window on their airship, watching the Isle of Patch get smaller and smaller. Bannog had his big arms round Ariciel, who was leaning back into him with her head on his shoulder.

"Goodbye Yang," said Ariciel.

"Do you think she got the message?"

"I hope she did. I like her."

"Probably hates our guts now. But I hate to see warriors like her go to waste. The things she could do. People whose lives she could save. I could teach her what Quartermaster Declan taught me when I was young and rash and stupid."

"Pushing Taiyang off his spot?"

"He means well, and he does know her best. But he's scared of hurting her. I'm not. She's a monster, and she doesn't even know it herself. I could have shown her." Bannog sighed. "But yeah. Not my job. Gods, I wish it was."

Ariciel laughed. "My hero. Improving the world, one cute busty blonde at a time."

"It's a dirty job," said Bannog, and pulled Ariciel a bit closer. 

* * *

 

**CODA:** Isle of Patch, 3:00am, Yang's bedroom. Yang starts to dream the same dream she has had for months now.

" _GET AWAY FROM HER!_ "

The masked man, in his well tailored suit, gives her an evil sneer and turns to her, loosening his sword in its sheath. He comes towards her, and Yang knows that like every night, her shots will go right through him, that there is nothing she can hit this man with. But then, suddenly, Yang grins.

"She's got a new girlfriend now," she says, and points two thumbs at herself. "Me! And I'm better at it than you ever were."

He stops. Then, he draws his sword and rushes at Yang, screaming, but Yang is long gone. He shoots at her, but the bullets go wide.

"Missed me! Where did you learn to shoot, at a _funfair_?"

He catches up with her. Yang looks at him, fists raised, lightly bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"I'm going to _kill_ you!"

The man's red sword comes round, but there is only a metal clang. A fierce red-headed woman stands next to Yang, the shield on her arm protecting her.

"I think not," she says.

" _Salutations!_ "

Seven green glowing swords shoot out to the man. He parries three of them. The fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, hit him in the legs, arms, side, and he falls to his knees. The girl with the swords beams at him.

"That was _very_ good! You get a bronze star for that!"

Yang grabs the man by his throat. "Blake and I are gonna be celebrating tonight. And I'm gonna be wearing that mask."

She puts the barrel of her gun-gauntlet to his head, but before she can pull the trigger, he gasps, and Yang looks up to see Blake Belladonna, her weapon buried in the man's back, the same smile on her face that started it all.

"I could've taken him," Yang says. 

 

Tomorrow, all of this will be gone. Pyrrha will be gone. Penny will be gone. Yang's arm will be gone, and worst of all, Blake will be gone. But tonight, 3:05am on a late winter's night, for the first time in a long long time, something happens.

Yang Xiao Long, Little Dragon of the Sun, smiles in her sleep. 


End file.
